Thursday, April 22, 2010

A few random things about me

1. When I was little I was terribly shy and never spoke. My worried parents brought me to the doctor and were told that I would grow up a loner and probably end up working in the back of a post office.

2. I do not work in the back of a post office ;)

3. I absolutely love riding the subway and watching people. I sometimes don't get off at my stop just so I can stay on a bit longer.

4. I almost got arrested for what looked like public urination but I was really just squatting in a short dress, in a dark corner, late at night, petting a stray cat, he!

5. I crave food based on it's texture, not taste.

6. A genuine smile from someone makes me feel all tingly inside.

7. Many people in my family suffer from depression. It's one of the main reasons I decided to become a photographer. I wanted to create colorful, positive, feel good images.

8. When we picked out Moo at the cat shelter, I was afraid that I may be allergic to cats. So I picked up Moo (who was then named Spanky!) and rubbed him all over my face like a towel to see if I would have an allergic reaction.

9. I honestly cannot hurt a fly. I've been a vegetarian for ten years and spent many late nights as a kid freeing mice from the mouse traps around my house. (Shhh, my dad still doesn't know that!)

10. I often break out in giggle attacks while I'm alone on the train, which of course, makes me look insane.

11. My Grandma's name was Baby Katz. Is there anything cuter than that?

My favorite part Katie is the part about riding the subway to see the people.

Whenever I was in Chicago the only time I have been to a big city, I wanted to just stand at the window whereever I was and see the people. When we go to New Orleans I sit Indian style right in the middle of Jackson Square and do just this. I believe I am closer to peace there than anywhere on earth. You and your photography are amazing, and I duplicated your baskets at my park last week.

I love reading facts like these about people :) Thank you for letting us in. Yay, I'm a vegetarian too and have been my entire life. Don't think I could rub a cat on my face and still breathe though. Sadly.

Katie, I love your blog! I just had to comment that my name became "Spanke" the day I got married. :-) (Pronounced like Spanky) So me and Moo have that in common. Maybe I should change my name to Kate Moo?

katie, I love that picture of you! So beautiful. Thank you for all the colourful images you share - they always brighten my day. i'm so glad that you do this instead of working in the back of a post office :o)

I don't have a subway in my town, but when I go to a city next to my town, wich has a subway I do the same thing that you do. Is one of that little cool things in life.

WHat can I say? I love know more about you, and now I love you more my friend, I know that I don't know you in person and all that, but I really feel you has a friend. A friend makes you smile and makes your live happier, you do that, so you're my friend.

it's really nice to hear people acknowledge depression as an illness, i've suffered a lot from it and it's people like you who cheer me up at times when not much can. your images definitely make a difference. they're so colorful and brilliant! and your blog makes me smile =]

i actually am allergic to cats, but i've had them my whole life. i love the two i have now like you love moo! and i've just learned to deal with it no matter what it takes. some days are way worse than others, allergy-wise, but it's so worth it. i couldn't live without them.

Hello Katie, I just want to give a lots of thanks to you for this wonderful blog. I found it three days ago, now i have to take a look everyday, to see if theres an update. All the colors are wonderful, and all the creativity that you spread.

I think ur an absolutely wonderful person Katie :) ever since I bumped into ur blog, every post u made never failed to make me feel warm inside, especially seeing Moo doing silly things! lol reminds me of my cat which is not with me right now cause I can't keep him here :( thank u for spreading joy even though we're thousands miles away.. :) God Bless! - izeywoot

This is what I want to show people who argue that art has no real value. It does. It's vitally important, in fact. Anyone can see that from your blog alone. It truly makes a difference in this world. Thanks for the stories, and as always, your wonderful, positive images. :)

You make me smile. Not a "I'm smiling" smile....but one that creeps up on you until you don't realize you are smiling but then all of a sudden, you realize you're smiling. This was a great post. I won't go into details about how awful my day was (things you see on TV and change the channel) but I really needed this. Thanks. :)

Adorable <3And I LOVE how open you are about the things that make you happy - and even more how it's not at all about some strongly individualistic attitudes, but your happiness really quite often comes from others (and what they do), and you are not afraid to admit it :) and I seriously think that is the most beautiful thing in the world...

helloooooo Katie! i believe my sister has emailed you about our pets. (i didn't even know she was a reader of your blog!) thanks for replying to her. she loves your blog so much.

i want to thank you for being such an inspiration. ever since i started reading your blog, i've been a different person. i hope one day we will be able to run into each other on the subway and giggle together! i've been doing a lot of that lately & smiling at everyone! ;)

This post made my morning!My family suffers from depression too. It's funny because photography is on of the things that has saved me in times of dark depression, especially after having my babies. I can definitely relate.

Pretty much all of the women in my family suffer from depression, including myself, however due to the same positive outlook and sunny disposition that you seem to have I generally don't say that I "suffer from depression", I like to say that I "live with depression"...it sounds more friendly that way!!

And like you my career choice(s) stem from my desire to make people smile and feel all warm and tingly!

It's refreshing to see others explore and display their sunny-ness...Keep it up!

Love these! We have a lot in common actually! #1, #2, #3, #6, #10. I am also a vegetarian, but I can easily and with no guilt whatsoever kill bugs, especially mosquitos, because if I don't they will soon bite me on the face. Love your photos. Hope to meet you on the subway! =)

I am the exact same way about food! I didn't know others were like this! Everyone thinks I'm crazy because I could eat those Balance bars for the rest of my life. They taste a little strange, but their texture is sooo good.

I stumbled upon your blog in one of my wanderings the other day and have fallen in LOVE with it! So bright and colorful! I've looked all the way back to the beginning and enjoyed the entire thing! I'm soo stinkin glad to see this gem out there in the blogosphere!

When I was little, about 5 or 6, I hid all of the flyswatters in the house, and cried for two hours when my grandmother killed a fly. I told her that I was going to start a fly rescue and save all the flies in the world and keep them in my fly rescue and take care of them. And that instead of killing flies, people could put them in a jar and bring them to me, so I could save them in a happy environment. Now I'm 21, and I don't have a fly rescue. But I also don't own a fly swatter.

Katie, there is a reason my feed reader has a category named "Happiness". And another very, very good one as to why yours is the only blog in that category. Your writing, pictures, energy and life bring me such joy. Thank you.

My biggest dream is, and have always been, to be an artist. To photograph, paint, laugh, color, dance, draw, sew, play, create and to fly. Sadly i've always been afraid of it, being shy, being sad, depressed and tired. I never believed. It touches me very much to read, that you used to be shy and that many people you know suffers from a depression. You make me believe that things a possible, and you are such a great inspiration to me. Tomorrow i will buy some coloured paper, and put up hearts and circles in my very depressing and grey neightbourhood. Thank you so much!

I was a quiet, reserved kid too, so I read a lot and observed everything. I see those years as my cocoon years, where I was learning what I needed to know to emerge strong enough to navigate the winds and flowers in life.

Katie, I live in Cleveland, but I visited some friends in Brooklyn this weekend. I looked for you on the street or a sign of your art, but I'll have to come back again someday! Love the blog.

i LOVE that your kittie is named MOO~ because my oldest daughter Serena & i have this thing where instead of "hi" or "bye" on the fone, we say, "moo" :)

i absolutely adore your gramma's name!!! was that her REAL name? starting with BABY? sweetest everrr!

you are a truly lovely soul & i am sooo glad i found a link to your blog. i hope you have a "follower" thingie, cuz i'm jumpin on board for your positive, beautiful, uplifting blog <3

i wonder if there would be a way to create a thing where folks could choose one of your pics & have it in their blogs & when you click on it, it brings you to YOUR blog :) plz let me know if that ever happens!

I love pt 7 because your blog/pictures have truly brought some positive and good images into the lives of many, mostly just me:) This is one blog i visit everytime i feel sad, abt work, family or love.

Wow! I LOVE THIS POST! It's fun! I love what you share with the world! You remain sincerely an inspiration to me.

I suffer with depression too, as do most of my family members, and I have found that my photography is a major combatant for that. It is so wonderful to photograph joy... it's hard to feel sad when you get to spend time with people!

I did some of your stuff too. I used the people cut out on paper airplanes and boats for our summer theme at church. People loved it :)I also did the heart kisses for my boyfriend. I did another version of it, raining hearts. I wore a red trench coat with red umbrella :P

Katie, your food texture craving has intrigued me. I have a 6 yr son who, I believe, likes food based on texture. I can't "figure" it out (like, if he likes crunchy over soft). When I ask how it tastes, it's "lumpy" or "hard," not sweet or sour. Of course, you are not exactly like my son, but could you shed some light for a confused mom?

Its so amazing what you do, I suffer from depression, and always struggle to rise above it, and to see how it runs in your family, and yet defy it by proving to be one of the happiest, creative, proactive people I have ever seen, is really inspirational to me, thank you : )

i don't think you will see this but...i believe is worth saying anyway.i have depression. and your pictures works for me way better than my medicine. you're one of the people in my 'people who inspire you' on facebook.you inspire me and your pictures makes me feel good when i'm depressed. thank you. god bless you.